Quinoa and spinach mac & cheese

Say hello to your new comfort food! Surprisingly, quinoa is an exceptional ingredient to add to mac and cheese. A much healthier option than the traditional version, this recipe is most definitely Popeye approved.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cup milk

2 dashes nutmeg

¼ teaspoons salt

8 ounces, white shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 cups cooked quinoa

2 bunches baby spinach

½ cups parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons butter, melted

¾ cups panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of butter and flour and heat over medium heat. Whisk continuously until paste forms. Whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium/high and bring to a boil whisking the whole time. Stir in nutmeg, salt and cheddar cheese. When cheese sauce is smooth, remove from heat.

In a large bowl, mix together the cooked quinoa, cheese sauce and spinach.

Transfer the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

In a small bowl, mix together the butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.